Support frame for pellicle

Abstract

A support frame for a pellicle, in which a pellicle film is adhered to the front surface of an aluminum-alloy frame body, and a transparent substrate is adhered to the rear surface of the frame body. A recessed groove is formed in the rear surface of the frame body, the recessed groove extending along the periphery of the frame body, and a vent hole is formed from the outer peripheral surface of the frame body to the inner surface of the recessed groove. With this configuration, deformation of the support frame can be suppressed when the support frame is removed from the transparent substrate.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A support frame for a pellicle, comprising:
 a frame body made of an aluminum-alloy, and adapted to allow a pellicle film to be adhered to a front surface thereof, and to allow a transparent substrate to be adhered to a rear surface thereof, wherein 
 the rear surface of the frame body has a recessed groove which extends along a periphery of the frame body formed, and each side of the frame body has vent holes bored from an outer peripheral surface thereof through an inner surface of the recessed groove. 
 
     
     
       2. The support frame for the pellicle according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the vent holes are disposed on both sides of a middle in a longitudinal direction of each side of the frame body. 
 
     
     
       3. The support frame for the pellicle according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a bottom face of the recessed groove has bottomed pits bored therethrough such that the vent holes open through an inner peripheral surface of the bottomed pits. 
 
     
     
       4. The support frame for the pellicle according to  claim 3 , wherein
 a bottom face of the bottomed pit is formed on a front surface side of the frame body beyond the vent hole. 
 
     
     
       5. The support frame for the pellicle according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the vent hole is bored at a center level of the frame body. 
 
     
     
       6. The support frame for the pellicle according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the frame body has a through-hole bored from an outer peripheral surface through an inner peripheral surface. 
 
     
     
       7. The support frame for the pellicle according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a plurality of the recessed grooves are aligned along the periphery of the frame body, and each of the recessed grooves has at least one of the vent holes communicating therewith. 
 
     
     
       8. The support frame for the pellicle according to  claim 1 , wherein the vent holes are configured to communicate air supplied to the vent holes into the recessed groove so that a pressure inside the recessed groove is increased.